This invention relates to chemical compounds generally designated as .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated sulfones and in particular to certain substituted arenesulfonylacrylic acid derivates which exhibit unusual bioactive characteristics.
While some arenesulfonylalkene nitriles are known to possess characteristics which aid in the control of microorganisms, as demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,159,532 to Heininger et al, I have discovered a new unsaturated sulfones which possess as good as, and in some cases far superior biocidal and biostatic activity than those heretofore synthesized.
In a copending application entitled "Method of Producing Unsaturated Sulfones", Ser. No. 815,220, filed Apr. 10, 1969, now U.S Pat. No. 3,541,119, granted Nov. 17, 1970, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 516,770, filed Dec. 27, 1965, now abandoned, in which I am a joint inventor, there is disclosed a novel one-step reaction for preparing unsaturated sulfones including those of this invention, as well as for preparing the unsaturated sulfones of the Heininger patent given above. In preparing unsaturated sulfones by this one-step method, I unexpectedly found certain novel compounds embodying this invention and discovered they had surprisingly good bioactive properties. Such bioactive properties include bactericidal and fungicidal properties. The presence of these bioactive properties allows the sulfones of this invention to be used to great advantage in the protection of organic materials from microbial attack.
Another area of important use lies in their ability to be employed as disinfectants and antimicrobials in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and medical preparations.
A further field of use of the compounds of the invention arises in agricultural applications. For example, the compounds may be used for treating plant life and soil for control of infestation and infection.